Letter from Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen to Governor Newsom

Letter from Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen to the Governor
Re: A Requested Revision to Stay at Home Order

Dear Governor Newsom:

I am urging you to modify your stay at home order to expressly require people to remain in their own communities unless out on essential business. As a small coastal city in a heavily populated County we are finding that many people from inland cities are coming to our beaches and parks when the weather is good. We lack the resources among our first responders to enforce social distancing with these crowds.

I understand that your existing order allows individuals to go outside for a walk or to exercise. This is a commonsense rule as you said yesterday. But it does not mean that people have to travel miles to a beach or a park to get outside.

A revision to the order to require people to remain in their own communities unless required to travel out of town on essential business would be a good change and further minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

Thank you for considering this request

Very truly yours,
Bob Whalen
Mayor
City of Laguna Beach

City of Laguna Beach, March 22, 2020, Media Release